Last Christmas
by pursuitofirony
Summary: Recently broken up, Rick Grimes and Michonne Anthony wind up at Maggie's yearly Christmas party, and Rick reflects the Christmas when they met, and their possible future. AU, no wallers. Tribute to George Michael.


Last Christmas

A tribute to George Michael, and a Rick/Michonne story based on the song.

Rick nursed a drink in his hand as he stood in the corner of the yearly Christmas party. Usually, he'd bring her, his ex-girlfriend, along with him, but they'd recently broken up over something that he thought was silly, but she didn't think so. And so, he'd come alone and frowned at all of the happy couples and Christmas spirit surrounding him.

He averted his eyes over to the yearly Christmas tree. Every year Maggie would go all out, asking his best friend Glenn and himself to sequester the biggest, boldest tree to put in her home. But, when he looked at it this year, all he could remember was Michonne chastising him playfully about why they didn't get a bigger, brighter tree in their own home. He'd told her that they weren't a Glenn and Maggie couple, that they didn't need to do all of that, which bothered her underneath the surface, but she'd never said anything. Not until that night.

He sighed, taking a long drag as the memories enveloped him, took him back to meeting her at this very party two years ago. She'd come dressed as an Elf, and the quirkiness of it, combined with her sexiness drew him in like a moth to the flame.

 _Two years prior_

Rick sat in his usual spot in the corner of the yearly Christmas party that his best friend's wife Maggie threw. He'd always have to work on Christmas eve, so he'd come dressed in his Sheriff's Deputy outfit and just try to blend into the walls. His best friend's wife was close with his ex-wife Lori, who somehow showed up to the party as well, trying to be casual and cordial. Her long, thin brunette hair was pulled back into a severe pony tail, as her red dress loosely clung to her thin frame. She walked over to him, nursing a drink of her own, as his light eyes scanned the room distractedly.

"You were never one for these parties," her voice said, a knowing smile on her face.

"I never was into all of this," he admitted. "You were."

"I just don't think that we were meant to do them together," she admitted, as a handsome man came over, pulling Lori into a long embrace. "Todd, this is Rick, my ex-husband. Rick, this is Todd, my...new boyfriend."

Rick smiled softly, feeling nothing in particular about Lori's new man. He was just happy that she'd found someone to be with, someone that could provide her with the things he needed. He'd realized long ago that there was no deep, desperate love with Lori, no pull, no chemistry. They just had their son Carl, whom they both cherished, but the marriage fell apart once they realized that they just weren't compatible.

"Todd came with his work associate," Lori finally said, pulling him out of his revere. It was then that he saw it, her. She had walked in with the tightest, shortest Elf costume. Her dreads pulled up, away from her face into a loose pony tail; her dark eyes were shimmering underneath her glimmering red eyeshadow; her lips were full, pouty, and red. Her long, curvy body was on display, and so much of her toned legs were too. He felt immediately drawn to her, and his eyes followed her as she noticed her work associate and came over to greet them all.

"Michonne," Todd said casually, as he hugged her. "You heard about Lori, right?"

"Yes, I have," she smiled, and that smile took Rick's breath away. "And you must be Rick."

"The one and only," he smirked.

"I'd know that Sheriff's deputy outfit from anywhere," she winked. "We both came dressed up."

And if he allowed himself to go there, it sort of felt like she might be flirting with him, but he decided that he'd follow her lead.

:

Hours upon hours passed, and he spent most of them talking and laughing with the dark-skinned beauty who continuously took his breath away. She threw back another drink and giggled at the expression on his face, a mixture of awe and lust.

"You wanna go back to my place?" She asked him.

Unable to respond to her bold request, he simply nodded, leaving the party as she pulled him along.

They'd been together ever since, well until the break up.

:

 _Present_

"Rick!" Glenn yelled at him, pulling him into a tight embrace. "You've been standing in this corner all night, and you're about to miss Maggie's mistletoe draft."

"You know that I can't stand that," he sighed, devouring the rest of his drink. He felt perfectly drunk, but also desperately empty.

He still wanted Michonne back, he missed her.

"Dude, you've been in a funk since you and 'Chonnie broke up! Maybe this'll help. I heard Jessie from admin is here and she's totally into you," Glenn smiled, attempting to make his buddy feel better, but Rick just frowned.

"I'm not interested in Jessie or those owl sculptures," he dismissed him.

"Then do it for Maggie? The pregnancy hormones are making her crazy," Glenn admitted with a whisper, not sure if pregnant women had super sonic hearing.

"Okay," Rick finally agreed. "Fine."

:

When Rick finally got to where Maggie had set up her yearly mistletoe draft - something she'd literally come up with last year; a game where she'd draw two names out of a hat, and those two people had to kiss under the mistletoe. It'd had worked so well last Christmas, that the couple in question got married after six months of dating. Maggie was convinced that the game had magical powers, so she insisted on playing it again.

Everyone gathered around, and that's when he finally saw her. This year she didn't dress up, instead she wore a form fitting, strapless mini-dress that made her breasts bunch up and displayed every curve. Her dreads were loose, and her make up minimal. Her usually vibrant eyes were nearly lifeless, and her arms crossed uncomfortably around her middle. As if feeling his eyes on her, she locked eyes with him and breathed out a sigh.

"And the first person to kiss under the mistletoe is Michonne Anthony!" Maggie's voice cut through their staring contest. "The second person is Rick," she breathed out, her words coming out a bit too fast, as she winked at him, and pushed the exes towards each other.

They walked towards the mistletoe almost hesistantly, taking careful, measured steps. The holiday song 'Last Christmas' played in the far background, and seemed to sum up the moment.

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart

But the very next day,

You gave it away.

He stepped closer, and closer to her. The fight that lead up to their break up only two months ago was fresh in his mind, but he'd realized after that it was so incredibly silly. They'd broken up over a miscommunication, and he'd wanted her back every day since. He'd tried to explain to her that he'd only considered taking the new police job up north so that he could provide more for them, but he'd never gotten out that he hadn't taken it. It'd lead to a huge, blow out fight where harsh words and tears were exchanged, and they'd meant none of it.

 _This year,_

 _To save my from tears,_

 _I'll give it to someone special._

He grabbed her face with one hand, her waist with the other as he pulled her flush against him. Her dark eyes locked on his light ones, as he caressed and stroked her cheek, desperate to feel her once more.

"I'm sorry," he said, simply.

She nodded. "I miss you."

He breathed out a sigh of relief as he felt her breath fan his face, and finally, he pressed his lips to hers. At first, the kiss was chaste, tender; their lips barely touching, but it quickly grew impassioned and fiery as his hand went from her waist to her locs, gripping them hard. He turned her face so that he could go deeper, slipping his tongue into her parted, pouty lips. She sucked on his tongue, her hands finding their way to his wayward curls, the ones that he'd grown out while they were broken up. His salt-and-pepper beard scratched her skin, but she'd didn't care as the kiss went on, deeper and wetter. She pulled back, staring at him from underneath heavy lids, and kissed his top lip, and bottom lip before she pulled away completely.

His skin was flushed, and red as he took deep breaths, and pressed his forehead against her own. "God, I missed you too."

Her eyes brightened as she smiled at him, her first real smile all night. "You wanna go back to my place, and make this official again?"

"I was waiting for you to ask," he replied, pulling her in for another soul searing kiss.


End file.
